Pinellas County Doctor Pleads Guilty To Illegal Drug Distribution

TAMPA, FL — A 56-year-old Pinellas County doctor has pleaded guilty to one count of distributing oxycodone for no legitimate medical purpose and one count of tax evasion.

United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District Court in Tampa said Alina Pollan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the illegal drug distribution and five years for the tax evasion count.

According to the plea agreement, Pollan, a Florida-licensed physician and Drug Enforcement Agency registrant, worked at Pain and Wellness Clinic in Pinellas Park for about three years.

During that time, law enforcement officials said Pollan prescribed large quantities of controlled substances to nearly all PWC patients.

In February 2018, an undercover DEA agent posed as a patient during multiple visits to Pollan at PWC. Despite many red flags raised by the undercover agent during her medical appointments with Pollan—a reported history of drug abuse, failed drug urinalysis screenings, vague medical history —Pollan prescribed oxycodone to the agent for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice.

In addition, Pollan filed false and fraudulent tax returns with the IRS that understated the true and complete amount of her reportable income from PWC for the tax years 2017 and 2018.

Tom Wynne, the former owner and operator of PWC, previously pleaded guilty to related criminal charges.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa District Office, the Internal Revenue Service and the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit of the Department of Justice